MATES

T H I R T Y

Gabriel (Greyson's Oldest Brother)

"What do you mean they're missing?" I reared my head back in shock. 

I watched as tears steamed down my mother's face as she gripped my father's shirt. 

"My babies are missing" she sobbed "Something's not right. I can feel it!" 

"Rosabella's missing too" Dad grimaced "Her Uncle filed a report with the police this afternoon." 

"When did you notice that they weren't home?"

"This morning" Mom cried harder "Grant went to wake them up but said that they weren't there. He said that Greyson's bed was still made and everything!" 

I looked at Grant, my youngest brother, and nodded for him to talk. 

"I saw them last night" he shook his head, his expression grim "Rose even came up to me and asked why I didn't have a costume on" 

"And did she look normal?" I questioned "Frightened? Scared?" 

He shook his head "She looked happy" 

I faced my family "Did anyone see them after the lights cut out?" 

"I saw Greyson fly out the back door" Eva, my wife piqued up "I thought he was getting a drink from the cooler" 

"Did any of you see Rose?" 

They all shook their heads 'No'. 

"Did any of you see Garrett?" 

"No" my dad said "We actually haven't been seeing him all that much" 

"He's..." my mom's voice hiccuped "Been acting different" 

"How so?" I questioned. 

"More defiant" Mom sniffled. 

Dad nodded in confirmation "And definitely more angry" 

"Garrett?" I asked in surprise "Our resident nerd?" 

"He's more angsty" my baby brother supplied "Last week I even heard him talking down to Rose." 

I cursed "So Greyson was right" 

"Right about what?" My wife questioned, hefting up our daughter higher on her hip. 

"Last week, when I stole some of my mom's soup for dinner, Grey mentioned something about Garrett not being his normal self"